Tie is an important part of man’s wardrobe. Here are some useful tips on how to buy a necktie.

How to Buy A Tie

A neck tie is the most important piece of clothing accessory in a man’s wardrobe. It is mainly teamed with formal clothing, like sleeved shirts and trousers. Nowadays, men are also seen flaunting a tie with a trendy jacket as well. Necktie speaks a lot about a man’s personality and complements his dressing style as well. It provides just the perfect finishing touch to the whole look. At the time of buying neckties, you need to make a lot of consideration; else the tie would be nothing more than a rope trap around your neck. In the following lines, we have provided tips on how to buy the right tie for a suit.
Image: Kent Wang@flickr
 
Buying The Right Tie 
  • The first step would be to select the length and width of the tie. While most of it depends on the current fashion trend and the body size, traditionally, a tie with a length of 54 inches and a width of 3¼ inches is considered the best bet.
  • The entire length of the tie must be neither very long, nor too short. If you have a tall stature, you need to buy a long tie. But, make sure that wide tip of the tie should not go beyond your belt.
  • Once you have found the right length of the tie, it is time to consider the quality and material. Touch the tie, instead of just staring at it. You will get the feel only by touching the tie. Closely examine the quality of a tie, concentrating particularly on the first 20-30 cm of its wider end.
  • A quality tie would be one that consists of three and not two pieces sewn together. Examine the tie throughout and make sure that it does not have any lose threads.
  • Inspect the lining of the tie. Remember, it provides the right shape and bulk. Ideally, the tie should be lined to the tips, preferably with a material that has a high percentage of wool.
  • The material of the tie must be strong as well as coarse; so as to make and hold a sleek and strong knot. 
  • Another way to check for the quality of the tie would be to tug the slip stitch or a loose thread found at the back of the tie. When you pull the stitch, the tie should gather in folds - a characteristic of a well-made tie.
  • Ensure that the width of the narrower part of a tie is less that that of your shirt’s collar. In other words, the tie must not be visible from the back side of the shirt’s collar.
  • Always go for a tie that is cut on the bias. In simple words, it is cut across the threads of the cloth, diagonally. To examine if a tie is cut on the bias or not, just hold it from its narrow end, in the air. If the tie hangs down straight, it is cut on the bias. You must not buy it if it turns around in the air.
  • Talking about color and pattern, it would be a wise decision to carry your suit, shirt or jacket along, while going to buy a tie. Just try the tie to see whether its color, pattern and texture go well with your clothes or not.
  • At the time of selecting, make sure that the pattern of the tie complements and not competes with the shirt. For an eye-catching shirt, a quiet and subtle tie would be great. However, for an understated shirt, go for bright ties, with fine patterns.
  • As for the color, you can either go for contrasting shades or the monochrome look. However, whatever you chose, make sure it brings out your personality and personal style statement.
 
So, just go on and utilize the above tips to buy the perfect necktie and make a long-lasting impression of your persona on the people around you!!

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